It might be about as subtle as an airstrike, but drone warfare thriller EYE IN THE SKY fields an interesting debate. Just how far can you push “For the greater good”? In the moment, if you could save more lives, how many would you be willing to sacrifice? Under immense pressure, would you make the wrong decision? The stunt-casting of Helen Mirren (who is very good) and to a lesser extent the late Alan Rickman (who is sadly only OK), is distracting and the film perhaps relies a little too much on stereotypes for story purposes. But Gavin Hood’s film (easily his best since his South African breakthrough TSOTSI) is having a difficult conversation and never pushing the argument outside a morally grey area. The thought that some of the most significant actions in warfare can be run out of a shed on the other side of the world is a chilling one indeed, and presented in this manner it is nerve-shredding, captivating stuff. SSP
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Sam Sewell-Peterson
Writer and film fanatic fond of black comedies, sci-fi, animation and films about dysfunctional families.
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